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There is an interesting article on the cover of USA Today, um... today. It's about how the US Marine Corps is training a hybrid of eastern martial in hopes to give them a better set of tools to deal with non-lethal situations and to help curb the brawling that seems to occur in bars and such. It's an interesting read.

That's a great article, and am surprised to learn that no martial arts have been taught to marines other other military forces other than the "elite" special forces before now. I think it's great and long overdue. However, the only problem I had with that article is this quote;

"Urso calls civilian instruction "schoolboy martial arts." To make it safe for children, instructors have taken much of the "martial" out of the arts. In most civilian schools, that means no gouging or hitting below the belt."

Maybe I'm just nitpicking because I'm a civilian, but this is the kind of cocky, super macho attitude I always see from military personnel and many police officers. In defense of many civilian dojos(regardless of art), "killing" and "maming" techniques ARE studied. No, of course not to children, but then there are plenty of martial arts that do not have children's classes at all. Also, when a civilian learn's a "schoolboy martial art", he/she at least learns it in more depth and completion, philisophically and spiritually, and has CHOSEN to do so, unlike the few "real man killing techniques" taught in the military where it will be forcefed and required. I like the approach of "ethical warriors", but the martial arts themselves will not take care of that for them. Rather than having young hot-tempered marines starting bar brawls, they'll now have young, hot-tempered marines starting bar brawls that know some of the martial arts. If they cannot keep their young soldiers in line already, what makes them think that when they teach them martial arts, that these kids will all of a sudden become "ethical"?? These Marines are apparently already out of control and VERY cocky without knowing martial arts. Anyway, these kids will have to have the correct mental attitude before hand so that it doesn't become a dangerous mistake. I hope it works out for them though.

NYFE Man wrote:There is an interesting article on the cover of USA Today, um... today. It's about how the US Marine Corps is training a hybrid of eastern martial in hopes to give them a better set of tools to deal with non-lethal situations and to help curb the brawling that seems to occur in bars and such. It's an interesting read.

NYFE Man wrote:There is an interesting article on the cover of USA Today, um... today. It's about how the US Marine Corps is training a hybrid of eastern martial in hopes to give them a better set of tools to deal with non-lethal situations and to help curb the brawling that seems to occur in bars and such. It's an interesting read.